1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inspection unit of a connector inspection apparatus.
2. Description of Background Information
In general, a connector used for an electric wiring system such as a wire harness or the subassembly (hereinafter generally called "wire assembly") which, in general, forms a wire harness includes a plurality of cavities in a molded resin housing, with a metal terminal connected with wires being inserted within the cavities.
Among such connectors, there are known connectors of a so-called "front holder type". FIG. 5 shows a partially broken away perspective view of a known front holder type connector C which is an object of testing by the present invention, and FIG. 6 is an exploded sectional schematic view of FIG. 5.
As shown in these drawings, this type of connector C is integrally formed with a hollow housing 1, the inner periphery of the housing at the one end being open in one end opening area. The other end includes a boss member 2 projecting into an opening area 1A of the other end of housing 1. A seal ring 3 is inserted into the opening area 1A of housing 1, and a box-type front holder 4 covering one end side terminal surface of boss member 2 is introduced into the opening area 1A.
A cavity 2A is formed in boss member 2 and is connected with a plurality of terminal-fitted wires with the terminal-fitted wires being inserted which are not illustrated here. An inspection unit is generally used in inspecting the electrical wiring and connection condition, etc. of the connector C and includes a connector holder which holds connector C as an inspection object. The inspection unit has a block body on which probe pins are mounted that correspond to the metal terminals of a connector being held in the inspection unit, and the probe pins in general make contact with each metal terminal of the connector held in the inspection unit.
In this case, when the connector C to be inspected is a front holder type as mentioned above, it is necessary to conduct an inspection for continuity of each terminal, and to inspect for the presence of the front holder 4. Therefore, a conventional inspection element (a so-called "2-probe pin") having a switching finction is provided on the inspection unit in the inspection apparatus, which allows inspection to be made for the presence of the front holder 4.